Ma Belle Jacqueline
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Sequel of sorts to "Paterfamilias." Michael and Jackie have a night out: fluffiness ensues...
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is a sequel of sorts for _Paterfamilas _and I wanted to do something sweet and fluffy for M/J. The song is "Ma Belle Evangeline" and is from _The Princess and the Frog_, I may have taken some liberties with the song, but I think it works all right (if I do say so myself :P)  
Hope you enjoy! xo**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**_Prologue_**

"Michael, when are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Jackie asked as she sat in the car. She touched the blindfold, but Michael reached out a hand to stop her.

"No peeking," he teased, laughing at her mock pout as she allowed him to take her hand away.

"You're up to something, Michael, I can feel it," she told him.

Michael chuckled, "I'm not up to anything, that's your forte," he told her.

She stuck her tongue out at him and he laugh again, "You should just be glad that I trust you enough to go along with this."

"After a year of marriage, my dear, I should hope you trust me," Michael told her.

"I think I'll reserve judgement on that until _after_ I find out where you're taking me," Jackie told him, smiling to herself as she imagined his mock hurt expression.

"You're sounding pretty smug for someone who is blindfolded and completely at my mercy," Michael said, it was Jackie's turn to laugh.

"Completely at your mercy? I can think of worse places to be," she said with a grin, allowing her voice to go a little husky as she did so.

Michael made no reply and her grin grew wider, only to disappear as the car came to halt and she felt her anxiety about what was happening come back.

"Careful now," Michael counselled as he helped her out of the car, "you're going to have to trust me."

"I trust you," Jackie told him, she jumped slightly as he shut the car door.

"A little twitchy there, Mrs. Jardine?" he teased.

"Quiet you," Jackie admonished him as he began to lead her forwards.

Jackie quickly lost track of where they were going since without her sight she was completely disorientated. Soon, however, they came to stop and she felt Michael move behind her to take off the blindfold.

Jackie gasped in surprise at what lay before her; they were on the rooftop of one of the fancy new restaurants. A table for two sat off to the side, all the other tables having been cleared away, a stringed quartet stood unobtrusively in a corner. The whole place was lit by fairy lights, with only the night sky spread above them.

"It's beautiful," Jackie breathed.

"Happy anniversary," Michael whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Jackie leaned back into his embrace.

"I don't deserve you," she whispered.

Michael laughed, "If we only got what we deserved, darling, _I_ wouldn't be here with _you_," he told her gallantly. "I was going to give this to you after we had eaten, but I think I'd rather do it now," Michael continued, looking a little apprehensive.

Gently pulling away from her and leading her to where a small dance floor had been set up. Jackie gave him a quizzical look as he took her in the waltz hold, "I found this song a little while ago and it's my gift to you," he explained.

"Michael-" she began to protest, but he cut her off with a small peck on her lips.

"Shh," he told her as he pulled away, "just listen."

Jackie did as she was instructed as the music began to play, presently someone began to sing:

"_Look how she lights up the sky  
Ma belle Jacqueline  
So far above me  
Yet I...know her heart belongs to only me  
Je t'adore"_

"I adore you," Michael translated in her ear.

"_Je t'aime"_

"I love you," Michael whispered again.

"_Jacqueline  
You're my queen of the night  
So still, so bright_

_That someone as beautiful as she  
Could love someone like me  
Love always finds a way, it's true  
And I love you, Jacqueline_

_Love is beautiful  
Love is wonderful  
Love is everything, do you agree?  
Mais oui!_

_Look how she lights up the sky  
I love you, Jacqueline"_

By the time the song had finished Jackie was speechless, "I love you Jackie," Michael whispered as he leaned forward to kiss away the tears in her eyes that she hadn't even known were there.

"I love you too, Michael," she whispered back, "so very much," she added as she kissed him.


	2. You're Too Much

**_You're Too Much_**

"We escaped," Michael said with a smile as he shut the front door behind them. Jackie looked up at him with a small smile of her own.

"I feel a little guilty, leaving them so soon after..." Jackie trailed of, looking away.

Michael suppressed a sigh, the children had rallied from their ordeal with Culpepper but Jackie was another matter altogether. He knew she still felt guilty about her perceived inability to keep the children safe and had some irrational feeling that it was all her fault.

Nothing Michael had been able to say or do had been able to break through that and lately she had been overcompensating by spending almost every minute with the children. But Michael had decided that had to end, he wanted his wife back, wanted his Jackie back.

He fervently hoped that tonight would be the first step to getting her back to her old self.

"I understand, Jackie, honestly I do," he told her, wrapping his arms around her, "but they'll be fine, I promise."

He felt her nod against his chest, "I know," she said softly, "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," he told her, pulling back slightly, "now, let's try to enjoy this evening," he suggested. He smiled at her nod and, taking her hand, led her to the car.

The car ride was relatively quiet, they came to a stop and Jackie looked up and gasped. "Michael, you didn't-?" she began, looking back at him, he wore a small secretive smile, "You did?" she whispered.

At his nod she felt tears prick in her eyes, "You're too much, Michael Jardine, do you know that?" she asked.

Michael laughed softly, "I just want you to be happy, Jackie," he told her.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" she asked him. He shook his head and she gave him a wicked grin, "Maybe later I'll show you then," she promised in a low voice.

Her comment threw him for a moment, but he quickly recovered, "Shall we go in?" he asked.

Everything was just as Jackie had remembered it from that magical evening all those years ago: the single table, the quartet, the dance floor. She looked back at Michael and gave him a watery smile as he came up beside her.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but whatever it was I'm grateful," she told him.

He smiled down at her, "As I told you once before, Jackie, _I'm_ the one who doesn't deserve _you_," he took her hand, "shall we dance?" he asked, before she could disclaim his comment.

At her nod he led her out onto the dance floor and the music started to play softly, "Michael..." she breathed and he smiled down at her.

"Well, the evening wouldn't be complete without it, don't you agree?" he asked, as the singer began.

"_Look how she lights up the sky  
Ma belle Jacqueline  
So far above me  
Yet I...know her heart belongs to only me  
Je t'adore"_

"I adore you," Michael translated in her ear.

"_Je t'aime"_

"I love you," Michael whispered again.

"_Jacqueline  
You're my queen of the night  
So still, so bright_

_That someone as beautiful as she  
Could love someone like me  
Love always finds a way, it's true  
And I love you, Jacqueline_

_Love is beautiful  
Love is wonderful  
Love is everything, do you agree?  
Mais oui!_

_Look how she lights up the sky  
I love you, Jacqueline"_

At the last note Michael surprised her by dipping her, "I love you, Jacqueline," he echoed softly, staring deeply into her eyes for a few moments before bringing her back up.

"I love you, Michael," she said as he bent his head and kissed her.

As the broke apart Michael noticed a lone tear making its way down her cheek, he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. "No more tears," he whispered.

"I don't know if I can promise you that," Jackie began, with a hint of mischief in her voice as she twined her arms around his neck, "but if you promise to wipe them all away then I promise to try."

Michael smiled as he pulled her even closer, "I promise," he told her as he kissed her again.

----

**A/N: I was thinking that a strong woman like Jackie might find it confronting that she had lost control of the situation and been unable to protect her children. Fortunately she has a wonderful husband ;)  
My apologies if I ruined the song for anyone!**


End file.
